We had booked back to back cruises on Oceania's Maiden Voyage which was cancelled. Then booked with Regent, their sister company. Two days after booking we had to cancel due to a court appearance which was unexpected. Regent would only give us 75% of our money back if we booked another cruise which we did. Our Travel Agent had to fight tooth and nail to get this concession.

The only cabin available that didn't cost less than this 75% (which Regent was keeping no matter what) was the Master Suite which we of course were required to pay still more for. The cabin is very weirdly configured with the prow of the ship cutting into the balcony and bedroom. The anchor at 6am some mornings made a horrendous noise, and sleeping impossible, Although spacious it is certainly not worth the money. The dining room staff were not at all welcoming and the food was adequate, but not much more. The specialty restaurants were also very mediocre. One bright spot was our butler, who not only dealt with our occasional requests, but also managed to anticipate others.

Regent seems to have shifted toward free shore excursions. Predictably, we got what we "paid" for: overcrowded excursions and mediocre guides. Read more